IT is anticipated that the new Ennis Primary Care Centre will be operational in the fourth quarter of this year, according to a progress update provided by the HSE. Deputy Michael McNamara recently asked the Health Minister Stephen Donnelly when the Ennis Primary Healthcare Centre at Station Road Ennis will be fully operational. The Sonas Medical Centre, which is being operated by Dr Conor Fanning is currently operating out of the new Primary Care Centre. A variety of services will be provided from the new Primary Care Centre when it becomes fully operational. They include public health nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, psychology, speech and language therapy, ophthalmology, audiology, podiatry, lymphoedema, dental, chronic diseases management, integrated care programme for older persons, community diagnostics and TUSLA. Deputy McNamara also asked Minister Donnelly the status of the recruitment of specialist roles at the proposed chronic disease management hub and when will the hub become fully operational. Mid-West Community Healthcare has been funded …

PLANS for the development of a new dedicated economic crime unit in Clare are still on track, a local Garda chief has revealed. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Chief Superintendent of the Clare Garda Division, Seán Colleran, confirmed economic crime is currently being investigated by the Detective Unit. However, Superintendent Colleran said gardai are planning the establishment of an economic crime unit and as part of their continued focus on economic crime and fraud. This new task force was mooted after an increase in fraud crimes in the county in the last quarter of 2021. “We don’t have the new economic crime unit formally established yet, it is part of the crime unit. This is something we are looking at, which is resource dependent. This is something we want to achieve, but this doesn’t mean we are not investigating economic crime now,” said the Chief Superintendent. “To have a specific economic crime unit within the overall crime unit, …

AN Ennis patient advocate has won a MACE Unsung Heroes Sports, Health and Wellbeing Award in recognition of her tireless work on behalf of the diabetes community in the Mid-West. In total, MACE presented five category Unsung Heroes Community awards, including the award to Gráinne Flynn, with each individual category winner being rewarded with cheques for €1,000. Each winner was contacted personally by Johnny Sexton to inform them of their win. Ms Flynn runs a number of peer support groups, to allow those with diabetes to chat to another person going through the same issues. She has also campaigned tirelessly for better services for those with diabetes. She is thrilled with the award and so humbled to have been nominated by her friend Aisling White from the Midwest Diabetes Group. “I have been volunteering with Diabetes Ireland since 2007 and the Midwest Diabetes Advocacy Group formed through this when members of the community based in Clare and Limerick reached out …

ONE landowner in South-East Clare looks set to earn almost €2 million in total from wind farm payments over a 30-year period, if it obtains planning permission, a local lobby group has claimed. RWE Renewables has published a map with the proposed location of eight wind turbines at Fahy Beg, Fahy More North, Ballymoloney and Ballyknavin in Bridgetown. The Fahybeg Windfarm Information Group has estimated that one land owner may receive €1.92 million in total during the life time of the proposed 38.5 mega watt wind farm, which will break down to the equivalent of about 4.8 mega watt per turbine. Interestingly, a Limerick firm of solicitors will accrue the largest payment of an estimated €2.5 million as it is the land owner for two turbines and is listed as part owner of another one with a deceased land owner, who also owned land for a separate turbine before he died. Two other land owners own land where one turbine …

TEMPERATURES soared to 28 degrees Celsius on Sunday as hundreds of local and visiting revellers enjoyed a wide variety of family fun during the concluding day of the annual Féile Brian Ború. Organisers were blessed with some of the hottest days along the banks of Lough Derg compared to the corresponding days in recent years. This ensured there was a huge influx of day trippers to Killaloe and Ballina last weekend for various water and land based activities for all the family. One of the highlights of the festival was the Féile Fireworks display over the lake on Saturday night. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as the fireworks exploded spectacularly in red, orange, green and blue fireballs, bringing gasps from the crowd who lined up along Killaloe Bridge and at various vantage points in the two twin communities. It costs in the region of €12,000 to run the festival every year and Arlene White said the organising committee …

Last Friday week proved to be an emotional day for Gerry O’Malley, as he closed the door in Kilrush Post Office for the last time after 51 years’ service to An Post, including 15 years as a contractor. Kilrush Post Office in Francis Street, which was built in 1957, is now closed to the public for counter services apart from undelivered mail as retail services have transferred to SuperValu in the town. This building will still be used by local postmen. “A big crowd turned up to see me retire. We were told to close at 4pm because of the transition. We took photographs had a party in my house afterwards. It is a big change not having to get up for work in the morning,” he said. In an interview with the Clare Champion, Gerry said the new buzzword in An Post is co-location as they want post offices to be located in existing business premises. The 69-year-old father-of-two …

There has been a mixed reaction to the announcement that EDF Renewables Ireland is sponsoring a pitch upgrade at Broadford GAA Club, providing €4,000 towards upgraded pitch facilities. This sponsorship funding will be used to help enhance the pitch surface at Coolagh and according to EDF Renewables’ “demonstrates its commitment to supporting local and community initiatives in the areas surrounding its projects”. Earlier this year, EDF Renewables Ireland announced its plans to develop the c.50MW Lackareagh Wind Farm on land to the east of Broadford in Co. Clare. The proposed wind farm, which could power more than 35,000 homes, will be located in the townlands of Killeagy and Shannaknock. Welcoming the sponsorship, John O’Brien, Chair of Broadford GAA Club said: “We’re delighted to partner with EDF Renewables to enhance our pitch facilities. The sponsorship funding will go towards drainage, specialist fertilizer and other works needed to ensure all our youth and senior teams can play on a top-quality pitch all …

THE sense of community that exists throughout Clare has been lauded by the outgoing Clare Council chairman, P J Ryan. In his address to councillors at the authority’s annual general meeting on Friday, Councillor Ryan said serving the council as first citizen has been a “huge honour” over the past year. “I always wore the mayoral chain in the knowledge I represented everyone in this chamber as well as people of this county. “I attempted to attend as many events as possible across the county where I met many wonderful businesses and communities. From my engagement with people, I know the sense of community is one of our greatest attributes. “It has been an extraordinary 12 months here and abroad in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine.” He said it heartening that people in the community have worked so hard to provide help and support to those who need it most, which is something to …